Baggage tumbrel (1)

I was given two packs of the new Perry Miniatures "tumbrel" for Christmas; here is the first one (the second is finished but I want to add a different driver for variety). I willingly confess to not having heard the word before, but according to the Oxford English Dictionary a tumbrel is "a cart so constructed that the body tilts backwards to empty out the load; esp. a dung-cart." It's military meaning is "a two-wheeled covered cart which carries ammunition, tools, or sometimes money for an army" (Wellington's brother, the Governor of India, used the word in his despatches to refer to carts carrying military supplies). The word, in a different spelling, seems to date back to the 1480s.

As I've said before, I am a great fan of "extras" on a wargames table and this tumbrel will appear in pretty much every game. I did wonder whether I needed two of them, but the early Monmouth scenario reported below requires a substantial baggage train and the "British Grenadier" Oriskany scenario calls for 4 waggons to accompany the American column. So I decided to keep both packs and I am sure I will find a use for them. The pack comes with a tarpaulin-covered load, presumably ammunition. I have glued that in place on this tumbrel but won't do so on the second tumbrel so I can add other stuff like barrels. I also have a twinkle of an idea of a "rescue Major Andre" skirmish game, although the back of the cart is not quite large enough to fit a figure based on a penny (there is a figure in the Foundry pirates range of a gentlemen with his hands tied behind his back, who would be very well for a captured Andre).

Painted December 2007.